I got a notice today that my apartment building is going to have a "brown bin" for compostables going forward - so I can put food scraps and food-soiled paper there. This is awesome :-) Does anyone have a good idea for how to store compostables in a very tiny kitchen in a way that won't attract pests? I was thinking I might just put them in a paper bag in the freezer or something, although I hate to give up freezer space. I really don't know what else to do with it.

Thanks for the replies - but when I say "very tiny kitchen" I mean I do not have the floor space for a dedicated bin :-) I have a trash can and it doesn't even really fit, the refrigerator door hits it and I can't use one of the drawers in the fridge because I can't open the door wide enough... :-/ The recycling goes in the livingroom, it looks terrible but I don't know what else to do with it. I really don't want a potentially-smelly food scraps bin in the livingroom.

A plastic lidded container in the freezer would probably work, though. I was thinking a paper bag because I usually drop recycle off on my way out of the building and I don't want to carry around a dirty container all day. But I could make more of an effort there...

I would avoid the ones with openings in the lid if you're worried about odors, fruit flies, etc. The downside of these countertop models is that they're small and you'll have to empty it more frequently. But they do look nice, imo.

I use a big plastic container with a lid, and keep it in the fridge. Then when it's full I bring it to my friends house to give to her chickens! I can't compost personally where I live, but recently found out she would love to take all of my fruit/veggie scraps, so this has been a great setup! It has reduced my regular waste a lot, because most of what I was throwing away was compostable matter.

Yesterday I started sewing my oldest daughter a new swimsuit using fabric and a pattern I already own.

Bought groceries using the fabric bags I sewed up several weeks ago. So far I've only had either no comments at all from the grocery staff, or really positive comments.

Went to the bulk store for nuts, beans and the vanilla coffee mix ODD loves. I looked for the mix in the grocery store and it only comes in overpackaged single serving sizes.

Started fixing ODD's broken dresser drawer using some L brackets and a couple paint stirring sticks. I really, really hate this dresser and would love to replace it, except it's an odd size that works perfectly in her room and was free. Hopefully my fix will make it less annoying to use.

I use a big plastic container with a lid, and keep it in the fridge. Then when it's full I bring it to my friends house to give to her chickens! I can't compost personally where I live, but recently found out she would love to take all of my fruit/veggie scraps, so this has been a great setup! It has reduced my regular waste a lot, because most of what I was throwing away was compostable matter.

We use a plastic ice cream container (about 4L) for collecting compost. It sits on our counter unattractively. For our family of 4 I only need to empty it once every 5-7 days. If you pick a metal, or ceramic container (maybe a cookie jar? or small coffee can?) it won't hold smells like plastic does. I wash mine with hot soapy water periodically to help keep any smells down to a low level. In the summer, it tends to attract fruit flies, so I try to take it out more frequently. Maybe you've got room for the container in the fridge?

If you're able to recycle and compost a lot of things, you might be able to get away with a smaller garbage can. That might free up more space for recycling and composting containers.

I used bike+train to go to a workshop. Cost me $9 in fares instead of much less in fuel, and it took 1 hour each way instead of 15 minutes. I got to be active, spend time chatting with my mum and enjoyed the sunshine. It will take a bit less time once I'm fitter, but the amount of lights I have to wait at was a lot as well!

I've started a bunch of seeds in the plastic containers a lot of fruits come in. Today I'll be potting them up into yoghurt containers I've been collecting from friends (I now make my own yoghurt into recycled glass jars so don't have them).

I used some spare shelves (flat, rectangular pieces of plywood meant as spare shelves in a bookcase) to create a bench over my washing machine, between my current bench and the sink. I used something I already had, so no new resources, the wood gets a new home, and it has the financial benefit of giving us longer to save for our laundry makeover. Hopefully when they're no longer of use in the laundry, I can use them in the shed or find another new purpose for them.

Started fixing ODD's broken dresser drawer using some L brackets and a couple paint stirring sticks. I really, really hate this dresser and would love to replace it, except it's an odd size that works perfectly in her room and was free. Hopefully my fix will make it less annoying to use.

It's fixed! I can't believe how easy it was and how much better it works.

Biked to work today and yesterday.

Lunch was veggie pizza. Made with italian sausage flavoured seitan. Turns out my kids actually like this stuff, so that opens up a whole bunch of veggie meals for us.

We needed new toothbrushes so I purchased compostable ones for Pikelet and myself. The box says compostable in a home system (head removed) and since we will have one of those very soon, worth a try.

I suspect Pikelet, being a toddler, might have a hard time accepting a new tooth brush that isnít bright yellow. Wish me luck.

Good luck!!

I've seen a few people using the handles as plant labels. Just write on them with a sharpie and label your herbs and veges. I'm planning to do that with mine... And fully expecting Ewok to swap them all around :-P

We needed new toothbrushes so I purchased compostable ones for Pikelet and myself. The box says compostable in a home system (head removed) and since we will have one of those very soon, worth a try.

I suspect Pikelet, being a toddler, might have a hard time accepting a new tooth brush that isnít bright yellow. Wish me luck.

Good luck!!

I've seen a few people using the handles as plant labels. Just write on them with a sharpie and label your herbs and veges. I'm planning to do that with mine... And fully expecting Ewok to swap them all around :-P

Ohh I like that idea.

I gave her the toothbrush in the box and she opened it like a present. I think that might have made it ďspecialĒ enough that it can replace the bright yellow plastic one without too much fuss.

We needed new toothbrushes so I purchased compostable ones for Pikelet and myself. The box says compostable in a home system (head removed) and since we will have one of those very soon, worth a try.

I suspect Pikelet, being a toddler, might have a hard time accepting a new tooth brush that isnít bright yellow. Wish me luck.

Good luck!!

I've seen a few people using the handles as plant labels. Just write on them with a sharpie and label your herbs and veges. I'm planning to do that with mine... And fully expecting Ewok to swap them all around :-P

Ohh I like that idea.

I gave her the toothbrush in the box and she opened it like a present. I think that might have made it ďspecialĒ enough that it can replace the bright yellow plastic one without too much fuss.

this is an excellent idea once I run through the stash I bought of easy-grip plastic ones. Which brand did you choose?

* Bought coriander, paprika and Darjeeling tea from the bulk spices section at Sprouts and filled glass containers I had at home. Saves the environmental toll of producing and transporting a new spice jar. Probably saves a little $$ too. * Peed in the backyard to save the flush water and activate the mulch decomposition. * Rode public transit back from a doc appointment.

We needed new toothbrushes so I purchased compostable ones for Pikelet and myself. The box says compostable in a home system (head removed) and since we will have one of those very soon, worth a try.

I suspect Pikelet, being a toddler, might have a hard time accepting a new tooth brush that isnít bright yellow. Wish me luck.

Good luck!!

I've seen a few people using the handles as plant labels. Just write on them with a sharpie and label your herbs and veges. I'm planning to do that with mine... And fully expecting Ewok to swap them all around :-P

Ohh I like that idea.

I gave her the toothbrush in the box and she opened it like a present. I think that might have made it ďspecialĒ enough that it can replace the bright yellow plastic one without too much fuss.

this is an excellent idea once I run through the stash I bought of easy-grip plastic ones. Which brand did you choose?

I went with an eco toothbrush for me and the biome home brand for Pikelet. The eco ones can have black or white bristles, I got black so when Mr Pancakes needs a new one we can tell them apart. I think they also had two styles of grip. .

So far it seems that Pikelet can chew the bristles off the biome one so Iíll probably try a different brand next time.

Took public transit instead of a taxi even though I had really heavy grocery bags.

Decided to try and re-repair a broken phone charger instead of condemning it to a landfill - the first repair was failing and a piece totally snapped off and exposed some electronic-y bits, but it still works so I stuck it back together with duct tape and will see how long it holds.

I received baby keep cups for my toddler and BFF's toddler for their "juice" and "coffee" when we're having drinks together. The toddlers were adorably taken with the idea.

I also noticed how much slower we're going through our cling wrap. Our stash of plastic containers (big for lunch, small for sauces and dips) is finally having a clear impact! Plus the dishwasher to keep it all clean so we can use it again ;)

Went to a friend's birthday picnic today. I baked a cake to avoid bringing packaged treats to share, and reused a birthday candle and cake topper. Brought along picnic plates, cutlery and cloth napkins to reduce the use of disposable plates etc. The birthday girl is keen on sustainability so she was very pleased.

I need to keep adding to my stash of cloth napkins and picnic reusables so that next time we won't have to use any disposables at all.

Went to a friend's birthday picnic today. I baked a cake to avoid bringing packaged treats to share, and reused a birthday candle and cake topper. Brought along picnic plates, cutlery and cloth napkins to reduce the use of disposable plates etc. The birthday girl is keen on sustainability so she was very pleased.

I need to keep adding to my stash of cloth napkins and picnic reusables so that next time we won't have to use any disposables at all.

Hmm this makes me think I should revisit my "picnic kit". It fell by the wayside as various things got "borrowed" to use elsewhere, but the weather and our lifestyle is perfect for picnicking right now. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow (hooray for public holiday!)

Went to a friend's birthday picnic today. I baked a cake to avoid bringing packaged treats to share, and reused a birthday candle and cake topper. Brought along picnic plates, cutlery and cloth napkins to reduce the use of disposable plates etc. The birthday girl is keen on sustainability so she was very pleased.

I need to keep adding to my stash of cloth napkins and picnic reusables so that next time we won't have to use any disposables at all.

Hmm this makes me think I should revisit my "picnic kit". It fell by the wayside as various things got "borrowed" to use elsewhere, but the weather and our lifestyle is perfect for picnicking right now. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow (hooray for public holiday!)

All of ours does double duty as toddler cutlery and crockery, and cloth napkins we use everyday. But it's so handy having stuff you can just throw together when needed.

It was the kind of party where everyone was impressed that the picnic rug came from Buy Nothing: good people.

Jengod, Iíd love to hear more about the Elf you purchased. I never knew about these and I live not far from where theyíre manufactured. Plus, Iím in an ideal location for one. Now, if I can just get my husband on board.Would love to hear how and when you use it.

HaH, I'd be thrilled if someone gave me a sustainable-picnic homemade-cake birthday party :-) Nice job!

I went to the store to buy eggs (not the one I usually go to) and almost all the eggs were in styrofoam (!!) or clear plastic containers. I managed to find one organic brand that cost $1 more that were in the usual recycled cardboard type of box. I didn't think of it till just now, but next time I go I'm going to take down the names of the companies using styrofoam containers and write to them about it. I can't believe anyone still does anything with fricking styrofoam in this day and age... literally no one wants that!

We forgot our reusable grocery bags AGAIN. After accepting that we're going to stuff up and think about where to put the bags so we remember them... Our store has cardboard boxes we could use! So no extra plastic bags!

We forgot our reusable grocery bags AGAIN. After accepting that we're going to stuff up and think about where to put the bags so we remember them... Our store has cardboard boxes we could use! So no extra plastic bags!

How do you usually do your groceries? For me it's usually when I come back from work and have my work backpack, so I always make sure to have an extra bag in my bag that I use when I get groceries. You could try to do the same thing (e.g. keep them in the car, a bag you often carry, etc).

We forgot our reusable grocery bags AGAIN. After accepting that we're going to stuff up and think about where to put the bags so we remember them... Our store has cardboard boxes we could use! So no extra plastic bags!

How do you usually do your groceries? For me it's usually when I come back from work and have my work backpack, so I always make sure to have an extra bag in my bag that I use when I get groceries. You could try to do the same thing (e.g. keep them in the car, a bag you often carry, etc).

We usually get them at a random point during the weekend when the toddler needs to be entertained with people-watching from the trolley and one or both of us is rather tired. I've thought about putting the bags in the boot where the spare tyre is, so they won't get in the way during the week but also can't be forgotten? They're so bulky they get in the way if I tried to keep them in the main section of the boot all the time. We need about 6 big bags, generally.

Made yogurt from some milk that had been sitting in the fridge longer than it should - saved wastage of the milk, as well as saving buying more yogurt. This also avoids the new plastic containers for store-bought yogurt.

They're so bulky they get in the way if I tried to keep them in the main section of the boot all the time. We need about 6 big bags, generally.

I have big reusable bags, but I have to remember to take them with me. I also have 2 nylon bags that fold into a small attached pouch. They live in my purse, they take up very little room, and hold a lot of groceries. If you can find some thin but strong fabric (nylon probably best) to make bags with, I can send you a description of the bags.

Jengod, I’d love to hear more about the Elf you purchased. I never knew about these and I live not far from where they’re manufactured. Plus, I’m in an ideal location for one. Now, if I can just get my husband on board.Would love to hear how and when you use it.

Hi @retiredat58:

We have three little kids (with #4 due in May) and we live smack in the middle of a very car-dependent city, so if we want to do commuter bike stuff we think we need to do it a little differently. I just don’t feel safe with my babies on bikes alongside our large highways.

Our first try was a Babboe Curve 4-seat cargo bike. We love it and I use it a lot. This is best for grocery shopping or supply-run type errands, and the afternoon school run when I’m not in a rush.

Our second try at cycle-based commuter transport is the ELF (Electric Light Fun). The ELF we purchased has room for two little kids to squish in the back. There’s a little trunk but not too much storage so I haven’t used it for shopping yet. This is best for the morning school run when my husband can stay with our 2yo and we need a little speed.

School run in car (one-way): 8 minsSchool run in ELF: 10-15 minsSchool run in Babboe: 25 mins

I am 5’2” and not particularly fit so the ELF’s e-assist is great getting up hills and ramps, and when I am carrying lots of kids. It’s also great to use the throttle to kick off from a stoplight at basically regular traffic speed.

The ELF only has one seatbelt in the back. (I tried putting my daughter’s big car seat in there and it just tipped her forward and didn’t seem to fit right.) The Babboe has harness-like seatbelts for each passenger and a custom “toddler seat.”

In stop and go gridlock, the ELF is easily competitive with a car. On a surface street with no traffic, the 20-25mph top speed is slow compared to cars that are going 40-45.

The battery is trickle-charged by the solar but can/should also be recharged from a wall outlet.

It has headlights, turn signals, a horn, a bell and an onboard battery monitor.

The biggest problem so far was that I tried to take it in a big automated car parking structure and it’s so light that it couldn’t trigger the magnet sensors that turn on the gateway machines. I should have just left it parked on the grass but my 6yo complained that was weird.

So far we’ve really liked it. It’s technically a “solar-charged recumbent e-bike in a car-shaped kayak shell” or a “solar car/golf cart.” My husband wants a second one someday, in a less garish color than our current Mango Safety orange.

Iím fascinated by the Elf ! Iím one year into using my ebike and Iím familiar with how the electric bikes work .Iím 65, have had 4 joint replacements and the ebike is keeping me riding longer and easier. Well worth the price. The other reason for the Elf interest is that weíre about to purchase a golf cart, mostly to haul stuff from our house to the beach. ( chairs, umbrella, small cooler ) Husband is a big ďnoĒ to the Elf, still wants his motorized cart and is no where near as environmentally conscious as I am but it might not stop me. Thanks so much for your input and comments.

I started "fixing" our commute today. My portion post daycare dropoff is now taking the bus instead of driving the car. Giving myself a month to make this comfortable (IE do I need a book? Best bus stop to hop on? Etc) and practice taking the train and bus on non-critical trips with the toddler, then we'll try swapping half the trip into daycare for a train/ bus combo with the stroller.

I downloaded an app against food waste, where you can buy leftover fresh products from several supermarkets, hotels and bakeries in the area. So far both yesterday and today everything seemed sold out in no-time though.

I downloaded an app against food waste, where you can buy leftover fresh products from several supermarkets, hotels and bakeries in the area. So far both yesterday and today everything seemed sold out in no-time though.

I downloaded an app against food waste, where you can buy leftover fresh products from several supermarkets, hotels and bakeries in the area. So far both yesterday and today everything seemed sold out in no-time though.

What is the name of the app? It sounds promising.

Too good to go.

Started in Denmark and it's now available in more countries, not sure if it's available in the US yet though!

had to get my skis tuned yesterday, so walked to work with them strapped to my backpack. Awkward, but it worked! It did elicit several friends texting "did I see you walking through town with skis on your back?" (I live in a super small town). I live about a mile from work, and a mile from "downtown" and I've gotten in the bad habit of driving to run errands because "it's just a mile"...so I'm challenging myself to overcome the inconveniences of, say, carrying skis to the ski shop, and just deal with it and walk/ride my bike.

had to get my skis tuned yesterday, so walked to work with them strapped to my backpack. Awkward, but it worked! It did elicit several friends texting "did I see you walking through town with skis on your back?" (I live in a super small town). I live about a mile from work, and a mile from "downtown" and I've gotten in the bad habit of driving to run errands because "it's just a mile"...so I'm challenging myself to overcome the inconveniences of, say, carrying skis to the ski shop, and just deal with it and walk/ride my bike.

I'm working remotely today, cutting out (my very clown car commuting :-/ ) ~30 mi round trip commute. I'm continuing on my commitment to work from home at least once per week as much as I can this year.